Electrically controlled sorting machine



March 15, 1932. MANSEL 1,849,677

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SORTING IIACHINE Filed May 4. 1929 3Sheets-Sinai 1 3-; a 11 1 i L LL; M

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juveni'ar: Raul fi/ansel aawy' March 15, 1932.

P. MANSEL ELEGTRIOALLY CONTROLLED SORTING IACHINE Filed May 4, 1929 Fig2 :5 Shoots-550st 2' f ewl awsaz I P15]. 7 a, U

March 15, 1932. P. MANSEL 849,677

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SORTING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1929 SShoots-Shoot3 fnvekgtor;

B-ul fia nksel Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES 'PATE NT- OFFICEPAUL MANSEL, OF BERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO SIEMENS &

HALSKE, AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, F SIEMENSSTADT, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY,

A CORCPOR-ATION 0F GERMANY ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SORTING- MACHINEApplication filed May 4, 1929, Serial No.

My invention relates to improvements in electrically controlled sortingmachines, more particularly of that type in which cards or stripsofpaper are provided with ,5 perforated symbols.

There are already known sorting machines of this type in which thecontrol (if the closing members for the individual sorting coinpartmentstakes place by means of selector or feeler devices located directly infront of the individual sorting compartments in the path of the cardthrough the machine. Such control mechanism operate satisfactorily onlyif the speed at which the cards pass through the machine does not exceeda certain comparatively low amount. In sorting machines it is, however,desirable to be able to sort as large a number of cards as possible in aunit of time. The locationof the sets of contacts in the common trackfor the individual cards causes, furthermore, certain difficulties andis frequently the reason for breakdowns.

According to my invention these drawbacks of the known machines areeliminated by rotating a plurality of feed gears mounted on acontinuously driven shaft and adapted to be set in motion'with a lead indefinite sequence through a plurality of intermediate feed gearscontrolled by them by a shaft rotated in correspondence with theindividual values determined by the feelers, in order to act for theremainder of their limited rotary motion on the devices for selectingthe sorting compartments concerned. The duration of the drive of theindividual intermediate gears is determined by the shaft rotated incorrespondence with the values determined by the electromagneticallycontrolled feelers by ;ouplings or clutches from contact dewoes of theintermediate feed gears. In the drawings aflixed hereto an embodiment ofmyinvention is diagrammatically illustrated, all parts of the sortingmachine not essential to my invention having been omitted for the sakeof clearness.

In the drawings Fig. 1 illustrates a construction of my improved sortingmachine in which the sorting 5o switchgears are mechanically driven,

spective numerical value.

360,340, and in Germany May 7, 1.928.

Fig. 2, a sorting machine in which sorting switchgears of the type usualin telephone selectors are used,

Fig. 3, thearrangement of a contact disc of the intermediate feed gearwith the respective locking pawl,

Fig. 4, a side elevation of one of the sorting switchgears of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5, the coupling mechanism between the two gear wheels of theindividual intermediate fecd gears in the inoperative position,

Fig.6, the mechanism of Fig. 5 in the operative position, and Fig. 7, a.set of transmisk sion wheels co-operating with a toothed shaft and Fig.8 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing one of the shafts ofmy improved machine, cam discs on said shaft, and contacts or switchescontrolled by such cam discs successively during one revolution of saidshaft.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the preliminary switchgear with thefeeler lever contacts 2 to 5, the switch magnets 6 to 9 for the couplingdiscs controlled by these contacts and sets of mutilated transmissionwheels 11 to 14 mounted on the continuously revolving shaft 10, andengaging a common toothed shaft 15. The coupling devices controlled bythe electromagnets 6 to 9 are so arranged, that during each couplingprocess they couple the respective transmission wheels with the shaft 1Uonly-for the duration of one revolution of said shaft.

The transmission wheels are provided with a number of teethcorresponding to the re The transmission wheel of the set 11 thuspossesses, for instance, a single tooth only, the transmission wheel ofthe set 12 two teeth only, the respective wheel of the set 13 on theother hand four teeth and the toothed wheel of the set 14' eight teeth.As will be seen in Fig. 7, these teeth are 'so located on thetransmission wheels, that the individual groups of teeth come intoengagement with the toothed shaft 15 in suc-' cession during onerevolution of the shaft 10, if coupled with the continuously revolvingshaft 10 by the excitation of therespective switch magnets 6 to 9.

On the toothed shaft are mounted a plurality of intern'iediate switchgears comprising sets of coupling and transmission wheels, each of whichconsists of a coupling sleeve 16 longitudinally slideable on the shaft15, but which revolves together with the shaft 15, and a loose gearwheel 17 non-slideable upon the shaft 15. The hub of the toothed wheel17 and the coupling sleeve 16 are at the sides facing each otherprovided with coupling or clutch teeth. The coupling sleeve 16 is furthermore provided with a guide groove 18 engaged by the forked end ofthe armature of the respective coupling magnet 20. Each of the toothedwheels 17 is in engagement with a toothed wheel 22 likewise held againstlongitudinal movement but loosely rotatable on a common shaft 21. Theindividual toothed wheels 22 are by a sleeve 23 each rigidly connectedwith a disc 24, which by means of a projection 25 controls a contact 26and is maintained in this position by a springcontrolled arresting lever27 engaging in the switchgear 35.

zero position a circumferential recess 28 of the disc 24. Adjacent toeach toothed wheel 22 there is rigidly mounted a ratchet wheel 29, asleeve 30 and a cam or tappet 31 on the continuously revolving shaft 21.The ratchet wheel 29 is adapted to be rotated in one direction ofrotation with the toothed wheel 22 by means of a spring-controlled pawl32 pivoted upon said wheel 22.

In the inoperative position the pawl 32 rests with a laterallyprojecting extension 52 upon a stationary stop 53 and is kept out ofreach of the teeth of the wheel 29. Only when owing .to the motion ofthe toothed wheel 22 by the toothed wheel 17 the extension 52 of thepawl 32 slips off the stop 53, the pawl 32 engages the teeth of theratchet wheel 29 and effects, after the cessation of the driving motionof the toothed wheel 22 by the toothed wheel 17, a coupling of thetoothed wheel 22 with the continuously revolving toothed wheel 29 (Figs.5 and 6).

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the contact 33 controlled bythe cam 31 is connected in the circuit of the respective coupling magnet20, while the contact 26 is connected with one contact spring to thepositive pole and by the other contact spring to the contact arm 34 ofthe respective sorting The sorting switchgear 35, which according-toFig. 1 is designed as a positively driven contact arm adapted to slideover a plurality of contacts arranged in a circle, possesses a number ofcontacts corresponding to the number of sorting compartments 36, each ofwhich' contacts is connected to one of the windings of the sortingcompartment magnets 37. The other end of the winding of the individualsorting compartment magnets 37 is connected to the negative pole. Eachsorting compartment magnet 37 operates by it armature 38 one of the 33,so that thus the individual intermediate switchgears are coupledsuccessively with the preliminary switchgear as will be understood bestby reference to Fig. 8. The contactcontrolling discs or cams 31 are eachprovided with a lug or projection the circumferential extent of which isabout 30, that is to say, one-twelfth of the circmnferenee. During thefirst twelfth of one revolution of the shaft 21, to which the twelvecontact-controlling discs or cams 31 are secured rigidly, the firstdisc, designated as 31 in Fig. 8, will cause the corresponding contactor switch 33 to be closed. As long as this contact or switch remainsclosed, the coupling magnet 20 shown at the extreme left in Fig. 1 isencrgized, so that its armature 19 will shift the coupling sleeve 16'and couple the corresponding gea wheel 17 with the shaft 15.

During this operation, the perforated card which has been fed to thefeeler lever contacts 2, 3, 4, 5-from the receptacle -15, is sensed bythe corresponding feeler levers 44, so that one or more of the contactsor switches 2, 3, 4, 5, are closed. This causes the energizing of one ormore of the electromagnets (S, 7, 8, 9, which through the medium of thetransmission wheels 11, 12, 13, 14 cause the shaft 15 to be given apartial rotation, the extent of which corresponds to the value to betransferred. If, for instance, the card in its sensed column or line hasperforations corresponding to the number 7 the shaft 15 will receive apartial rotation corresponding to seven units.

These various steps take place during the time that thecontact-controlling disc 31 of Fig. 8 closes the corresponding switch 33and energizes the first coupling magnet 20. Therefore, the rotation ofthe shaft 15 by an amount equal to seven units, is transmitted to thetoothed wheel 22 shown at the extreme left in Fig. 1.

After motion has thus been transmitted, the lug on the disc 31 willrelease the-corresponding switch 33 so that the latter will be opened tode-energize the magnet 20 shown at the extreme left in Fig. 1. At aboutthe same time, the lug of the second disc 31 will close thecorresponding switch 33 and thus energize the magnet 20 which in Fig.1.is the second from the left, thereby establishing a drivingconnection. between the shaft 15 and the wheels 17 and 22 assqciatedwith such second coupling magnet.

In the meantime, the perforated c'aid sensed during the operationdescribed above,

' are well-known in this art.

has been brought out of the range of the contacts 2, 3, 4, 5, by anysuitable means, for instance feeding rollers (not shown) such as Thecard isthus delivered to a card guide or track by which it is guided tothe particular sorting compartment 36 the position of which correspondsto the value sensed upon the card. At about the same time, a new card,taken from the card receptacle or magazine 45, by the energizing of theelectromagnet 42, is brought into co-operative relation to the feelerlever contacts 2, 3. 4, 5. Let us assume that this second card. in thecolumn or line sensed by said contacts, has perforations correspondingto the number 5. In this case, through the medium of the electromagnets6, 7, 8, 9, the shaft 15 will be given a partial rotation the extent ofwhich corresponds to five units, and the second gear wheel 17 from theleft in Fig. 1 will transmit such movement to the corresponding toothedwheel 22.

In the manner described above, the twelve coupling, magnets 20 will beenergized individually in proper succession, by the action ofcontact-controlling discs 31 to 31 and switches 33 to 33 associatedtherewith, the first two and the last two discs and switches of-thisseries of twelve being shown in Fig. 8. The values sensed fromsuccessive lines or columns of the card will thus be transferredsuccessively to the several toothed wheels, there being twelve suchsuccessive operations, in the particular example illustrated.

Fig. 1 shows twelve coupling magnets 20 because the machine illustratedhas twelve sorting compartments 36 and because the speed at which thecard is. fed over its guide or track has been assumed to be such that,between'two successive sensing operations, the card will travel adistance corresponding to the interval between two adjoining sortingcompartments 36. v If the speed of the cards is doubled, half the numberof coupling magnets, that is, sixmagnets, would suflice, since then thecard which has to travel farthest (the one which is to be dropped intothe twelfth sorting compartment 36) would reach its proper compartmentafter six sorting operations, whereupon the first coupling magnet 20could again become operative in conjunction with its associated toothedwheel 22 for the transfer of a value sensed from the card. It will alsobe obvious that. the number of coupling magnets could be reduced byemploying fewer sorting compartments 36. If, for instance, only tensorting compartments were employed, the number of coupling magnets 20could be reduced to ten, when using the low speed mentioned above forthe feed movement of the cards, or to five, when using the double speedreferred to. The contact arms 34 of the sorting switchgear 35 arearranged in such relation to one another on the same shaft 43 that theyreach the first contact in succession simultaneously with the couplingof the preliminary switchgear with the corresponding intermediateswitchgear, and are in this manner continuously moved over theircontacts by the continuously revolving shaft 43. The shafts 21 and 43revolve at equal circumferential speeds, while theshaft 10 revolves at aconsiderably higher speed than the shaft 21. The card conveying magnet42 moves the cards in their guide track above the sorting compartments36, in which they are conveyed forward at a uniform speed by means ofconveying rollers of any well-known or approved construction (notshown), The motion of each intermediate switchgear and the sortingswitchgears coordinated to each numerical unit value corresponds asregards time with the travel of the card from one sorting compartment tothe next. The feeler lever contacts 2 to 5, together with the feelerlevers 44 between the card receptacle 45 and the sorting compartments 36of the machine, are arranged below the card guiding track. The 'feelerlever set, consisting preferably of four feeler levers coordinated tothe combination values 1, 2, 4, 8 together with the con- :tacts 2 to 5is slidable for adjustment, in a direction transverse to the guide trackof the cards.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 2 step switchgears46 are provided instead of the contact lever devices and their drivingmagnet windings 50 are connected in parallel to the coupling magnetwindings 20. Each of these step switchgears is equipped with two contactlevers 47 48, connected by gearing or other suitable means (not shown)in such a manner that said levers will move in opposite directions; inthe diagrammatic illustration the lever 47 slides over a contact segment49 connected to the one spring of the contact 33 and the lever 48 in theopposite direction of rotation over the individual contacts connected tothe windings of the sorting compartment magnets 37. The contact disc 40on the shaft 21 is of the wellknown type having a plurality ofprojections or teeth 40 (twelve of them in the particular caseillustrated) which at each revolution of said shaft will close thecontact 51 a corresponding number of times (twelve times) to set up theimpulses. This disc 40 controls at the same time the closing contact 41for the card conveying magnet 42. The starting of the sorting switchmagnets 50 takes place in succession and in coincidence as regards timewith the excitation of the respeccircuit from positive pole, through 51,47, 49, 50, to negative pole, a contact 54 is opened in the circuit ofthe respective coupling magnet 20 by a contact arm 47, (the dotted linesin Fig. 2 show said arm in the contact-closing position), thuspreventing the excitation of coupling magnet 20, which is connected inparallel to the step switch magnet 50. The contacts 26 are connected byone spring to the contact levers 48 of the sorting switchgezllr 46 andby the other spring to the positive p0 e.

My improved sorting machine as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawingsoperates in the following manner: 1

In certain intervals determined. by the impulses set up by the contactdisc 40 in the circuit from positive pole, through contact 41, magnet42, to negative pole, the conveying magnet 42 moves the lowest card forthe time being of the pole contained in the receptacle 45 on to the cardguide track of the machine. Between the card receptacle 45 and thesorting compartments the feeler or selector levers 44 determine thenumerical value represented on the card by perforated symbols and impartby coupling the parts of the preliminary switchgear 1 coordinated to thecombination values of the respective numerical value with the toothedshaft 15 a certain angular motion to this shaft. There is a separatefeeler lever 44 for each of the contacts or switches 2, 3, 4, and 5. Thearmature levers of the electromagnets 6, 7, 8, 9 associated with saidswitches, are each provided with a projection 60 which in the positionof rest engages a notch 61 (Fig. 7) in the mutilated gear of thecorresponding set 11, 12, 13 or 14 and thus locks such gear. In saidposition, the armature levers 60 also hold the clutches or couplingdevices out of operative position, see Fig. 1. VVhenever one of saidmagnets is energized, the corresponding lever 60 is moved to release thecorresponding mutilated gear from the locking projection 60 andsimultaneously throw in the respective clutch or coupling device. Suchmutilated gear will then rotate in unison with the shaft 10, but onlyduring one complete revolution of said shaft, since at the end of onerevolution the projection 60' will again drop into the notch 61, itbeing understood that springs or equivalent means (not shown) areemployed to restore the levers 60 to their original position. Theselevers, however, when attracted by the respective magnets, can notreturn to their original position until the respective projection 60registers with its notch 61, since previous to such registry the hookedend of saidprojection engages that face of the corresponding mutilatedgear which is the right-hand face in Fig. 1. In transmitting, forinstance, the numerical value 5 the transmission wheels of the sets 11and 13 are coupled with the continuously revolving shaft 10 by theelectro-magnets 6 and 8. In the course of one revolution of the shaft 10the toothed shaft 15 is first moved forward or turned by means of theset 11 by the distance of one tooth and then by the set 13 by thedistance of four teeth. The coupling of the shaft 10 with toothed wheelsof the sets 11 and 13 provided with one and four teeth respectivelyeffected by the electromagnets 6 and 8 is disengaged after onerevolution of the shaft 10, as explained above. The forward motion ofthe shaft 15 first by one tooth and immediately afterwards by four teethis brought about by the fact that the toothed wheels of the sets 11 and13, in spite of the simultaneous excitation of their couplingelectromagnets 6 and 8, operate on the shaft 15 one after the other, dueto the manner in which their teeth are arranged on the circumference ofthe wheels, see Fig. 7. The sequence of the engagement of the toothedwheels of the sets 11 to 14 is such, that when all coupling magnets 6 to9 are excited, first the single tooth of the set 11 will engage thetoothed shaft 15 then the two teeth of the set 12, following this thefour teeth of the set 13, and finally the eight teeth of the set 14. Ifnot all the coupling magnets 6 to 9 are excited, only the teeth of thosesets 11, 12, 13 or 14 which are coupled at the time with the shaft 10come into engagement with the toothed shaft 15. It is immaterial,whether the individual sets 11 to 14 coupled with the shaft 10 come intoengagement with the shaft 15 in immediate succession or with intervals.This motion is transmitted by the shaft 15 to the toothed wheel 22through the intermediate gearing coupled with it for the time being. Theengagement of a coupling sleeve 16 with the respective gear wheel 17 iseffected by the magnet 20 simultaneously with the energizing of one ormore of the magnets 6, 7, 8, 9, and such driving engagement continuesduring one complete revolution of the shaft 10. In order to obtain thisresult, a proper formation is given to the respective cam or tappet 31,causing it to'keep the respective contact 33 closed for the requiredlength of time. The toothed wheel 22 the pawl 32 of which is raised outof engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 29 by the stop 53 ismoved in advance of the toothed wheel 29 by an amount corresponding tothe numerical value determined by the selector on the perforated card.since the shaft 10 rotates at a higher speed than the shaft 21. Afterthe termination of this forward motion the wheel 22 is entrained againby the continuously revolving ratchet wheel owing to the pawl 32 havingengaged again the teeth of this Wheel 29.

The coupling of the gear or toothed wheel 17 with the shaft 15 throughthe coupling sleeve 16 has previously been eflected by the excitation ofany coupling magnet 20 in the circuit from positive pole, throughcontact 33, winding 20, to negative pole, caused by the continuouslyrevolving contact disc 31.

After traversing a path corresponding to the remainder of a revolutionof the toothed wheel 22 the contact 26 is closed. During the remainderof the rotary motion of the toothed wheel 22 effected after the advancemotion of the toothed wheel 22 with the toothed wheel 29 on the shaft 21up to the closure of the contact 26, the sorting switch gear coordinatedto the respective intermediate switch gear is brought into the positionin which the contact arm 34. of the respective sorting switchgear stands'on the contact connected to the driving magnet of the respectivesorting compartment. When closing the contact 26 the circuit is thusclosed from the positive pole over the contact 26, the contact arm 34and the contact just touched by the arm, the magnet winding 37 of thesorting compartment 36 corresponding with the numerical value determinedby the selector to the negative pole. The workingmagnet 37 of therespective sorting compartment 36 attracts its armature and opens theclosing trap 39 of the sorting compartment 36. The switching operationsdescribed extend over such a period of time, that the card moves duringthis time from the'point at which the numerical value is determined bythe feelers 44 right up to the front of the sorting compartment 36 andis able to slide into the respective compartment 36 after opening itsclosing member 39.

The path of the card from one sorting compartment 36 to the othercorresponds as regards time to a unit of the numerical value or a motionof the intermediate switchgear corresponding to such a value. Theconveyance of the cards is preferably so regulated that between twocards conducted in succession on to the guide track there remains aspace of the width of two sorting compartments. The selection of therespective sorting compartment may take place from each sortingcompartment. A plurality of sorting compartments with the intermediateswitchgears coordinated to them may operate simultaneously. In theembodiment illustrated, with twelve sorting compartments, five sortingswitchgears 35 would under certain circumstances in conjunction with thecard succession stated sufiice to ensure a satisfactory operation of themachine. In the embodiment illustrated the first sorting compartmentfrom the right is apportioned to the value 1, the second sortingcompartment to the value 2 and so on.

In the embodiment. illustrated Fig. 2 of'-- the drawings the mode ofoperation is substantially the same as in the case of the manegativepole, through 50, 49, 47, 51, to positive pole, in which circuit thesorting switch magnet 50, after its first excitation in the circuit frompositive pole, through 33, 50 to negative pole is excited after eachclosure of the contact 51 by the disc 40. In the circuit of eachcoupling magnet 20 (positive pole, 33, 54, 20, negative pole) a contact54 is connected, which is controlled by the contact arm 47 in such amanner as to be opened immediately after the first impulse caused by thecontact 33. In this way it'is prevented, that during the stepwiseforward motion of the contact arm 47 on the segment 49 the couplingmagnet connected in parallel to the winding 50 is also excited. Theleading motion of the toothed wheel 22 takes place between the first andthe second excitation impulses for the magnet 50. During each excitationof the magnet 50 the contact arms 47 and 48 are moved forward by onestep. In this way the contact arm 48 passes into the position in whichit preparesthe circuit from positive pole, through 26, 48, 37, tonegative pole for the sorting compartment 36 corresponding with thenumerical value determined by the feeler. This circuit is closed in themoment only in which the contact 26 is closed by the projection'25 ofthe disc 24. The excitation of the magnet 37 thus efi'ected causes theopening of the respective sorting compartment 36. Thereupon the sortingswitchgear 46 continues to switch forward until the contact arm 47slides off the contact rail 49 and thus opens the holding cirscribedabove, closing of the switch 33 associated with the disc 31 willenergize not only the coupling magnet 20 which is shown farthest to theleft in Fig. 1, but likewise the sorting switch magnet 50 farthest tothe left. This latter magnet, by means of the feed pawl connected withits armature (see Fig. 2) will advance the contact arm 47 by one step,thus bringing such arm into engagement with the corresponding contactsegment 49. The movement of the arm 47 from its zero position will openthe circuit leading to the magnet 20, by interrupting said circuit atthe switch 54:, as indicated at the extreme left in Fig. 2 with respectto the switch 54 associated with the second coupling magnet 20 or withthe contact disc 25 co-ordinated to said magnet. By the controllingoperations described above, a shunt in parallel to the switch 33 isclosed for the sorting switch magnet 50, which therefore will beenergized twelve times during one revolution of the shaft 21, by meansof twelve lugs 40 on the periphery of the disc 40 and the switch 51actuated thereby. Thus the contact arm 47 will be rotated(contraclockwise) by twelve successive steps, and the contact arm 48,rigidly connected with 47, will in similar fashion be rotated in twelvesuccessive steps (clockwise), such movement of the contact arm 48effecting successively an electrical connection between each of thetwelve electromagnets 37 for the traps 39. and the contact or switch 26for the contact disc 25.

If, for instance, shortly after the energizing of the coupling magnet 20shown at the extreme left of Fig. 2, and of the sorting switch magnet50, there has been sensed a card the sensed column or line of which isperforated according to the number 7, the

disc 25 will close the switch 26 at the exact mothe lever of thecorresponding trap 39 contraclockwise, so that the card immediately infront of said trap will be allowed to drop into the seventh sortingcompartment.

Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from thespirit and the scope of the invention, and I desire, therefore, thatonly such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by theprior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electrically controlled sorting machine for perforated cardsand the like, a continuously driven shaft, a plurality of gears mountedon said shaft, another shaft, means for giving said second-named shaftrotary movements the extent of which is governed by perforations of thecards or the like, intermediate gears by which the varying-ex tentmovements of said second-named shaft are transmitted to thefirst-mentioned gears, at a rotary speed in excess of the one at whichthe first-mentioned shaft rotates continuously, devices controlled bythe first-mentioned gears and effecting a successive connection of theintermediate gears with the second-mentioned shaft, and selectingdevices controlled by the movement of said intermediate gears.

2. A machine according to claim 1, in which there are provided contactdevices controlled by the rotation of the intermediate gears,electromagnetic means, in circuit with said contacts, and clutchmechanism controlled by said means, for coupling the severalintermediate gears with the shaft having rotary movements of differentextent.

'3. A machine according to claim 1, in which there are providedcontinuously rotating driving means, devices operated by said drivingmeans, for coupling the intermediate gears with the shaft having rotarymovements of different extent, and continuously rotating means foroperating the selecting devices.

4. A machine according to claim 1, in which a. plurality of successivesorting compartments are associated with the selecting devices, and inwhich the intermediate gears, after the end of their movement at a highrate of speed, and the selecting devices move simultaneously with thepassage of a card from one sorting compartment to the next.

5. A machine according to claim 1, in which there are providedcontinuously rotating driving means, contacts operated thereby, andelectrical operating means, in circuit with said contacts, for actuatingthe selecting devices.

6. A machine according to claim 1, in which a plurality of sortingcompartments are associated with the selecting devices, there being onesuch compartment for each selecting device, and in which each selectingdevice is associated with one of the intermediate gears and the deviceeffecting the connection of such intermediate gear with saidsecondmentioned shaft.

' 7. A machine according to claim 1, in which a plurality of sortingcompartments are associated with the selecting devices, there being onesuch compartment for each selecting device, and in which each selectingdevice is associated with one of the intermediate gears and the deviceeffecting the conate gears and the device effecting the connection ofsuch intermediate gear with said second-mentioned shaft, and in whichthere are provided contact devices controlled successively by theseveral intermediate gears, an electrical operating means, in circuitwith said contact devices, for coupling the several intermediate gearswith the shaft having rotary movements of different extent, othercontact devices controlled successively by the intermediate gears, andelectrical operating means, in circuit with said other contact devices,for actuating the several selecting devices.

9. A machine according to claim 1, in which all the intermediate gearsare mounted on the same shaft. g

10. A machine according to claim 1, in which a mechanicallyop'erated'controlling device is associated with the selecting devices togovern their timing.

11. A machine according to claim 1, in which the intermediate gears aremounted on the same shaft, and in which a step-by-step switch, mountedon said shaft, acts as an impulse-giving device common to all the selecting devices.

12. A machine according to claim 1, in which individual electricaldriving means are provided for the intermediate gears.

13. A machine according to claim 1, in which individual step-hy-step'switches are provided for driving the intermediate gears.

14. A machine according-.tqi jclaim"1,,in which the means for givingthe-'second-named shaft rotary movementsofdifferent extent includesfeelers adapted'to engage the perforated cards or the like, and in whicha card receptacle is located on one side of said feelers and a sortingreceptacle, co-operating' with said selecting devices, on the other sideof said feelers;

15. A machine according to claim 1, in which there is provided a commonshaft for the devices controlling the connections of the intermediategears and in which feelers engaging the cards are provided to controlsaid devices.

16. In a machine of the character set forth, a continuously drivenshaft, avplurality of gears mounted on said shaft loosely, pawl andratchet mechanism for transmit-ting the movement of said shaftto saidgears, means, controlled by perfora ons in a card or the like, forgiving said g 7 rs rotary movements of difiere'nt extenton saidshaft, inthe same dir 't'on it is rotated, but at a higher speed, lectingdevices-Io" erated by said gears the end of said rotation at a high rateofspeed, they rotate for a time more slowly in unison with said shaft.

17. A machine according to, claim 16, in which means are provided forrendering the pawl and ratchet mechanism inactive at the end of the slowrotation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PAUL MANSEL.

